Swinging car-step.



M. A. HOFP.

SWINGING CAR STEP.

' APPLIGATION FILED JULY 30', 1913.

Patented Oct. 14:, 913.

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Specification of Letters Fatent. Pattemttad @6 2]. 1d,,i913,

Application filed July 30, 1913. Serial No. 7t$2 ,095.

. To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that 1,.MARY A. Herr, a

f citizen o the United States, residing at Vinton,,in the'county of Benton and State of ments in swinging car'steps and relates more Iowa, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements'vin Swinging Car-Steps; and

I I. do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to'which it appertains to make and use the same. 1

Thls invention comprehendsunproveparticularly to those of'thetype which are secured to the stationary steps and act as a supplemental-step, which maybe raised and invention is to provide a swinging car step which is hingedly secured to thQ'lOWBlIHOSt riser of a set of stationary steps, and which, when not in use, may be swung. intoga ver-. tical plane against the riser where it will not be in the way.

' ings, in which- With these and other-objects in view, as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in cer tain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the follow-' ing description and accompanying draw- .Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through aset of stationary car steps, showing my improved swinging step secured thereto, Fig. 2-is a front elevation of a set ofcar steps with my attachment applied thereto, Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, showing my improved step in its inoperative position, Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the-plane of line rc. of

' Fig. 1, and Fig. dis a' detail view of the part'to be hereinafter fully described.

Referring in detail-to the drawing by nu nierals l designates a side of a'car, 2 a platform thereof and 3 the stationary steps,

which are of the usual construction" and 'which are provided with users iand-l.

- In carrying out my invention I provide a .e'nds thereof;

swinging step 5, which is secured by means of the hinges 6 to the forward side of the lowermost riser 4, adjacent thelower edge thereof. lower edge of the riser 4i are beveled, as indicated by the numeral? so as to permit of the swinging step beingmoved into a hori z ntal plane. The ends of the riser l terine-ting in spaced relati n to the side plates 8 of the stationary steps as clearly he rear edge of tie step 5 and shown in Fig. 4;. Angular plates, generally designated 9 having horizontal sections 10 'and' 'upright sections 11 are secured to the top of the stationary step- 5 adjacent the A link 12 is connected to each of the plates 9 by meansof a bolt 13 and nut 14. Said bolt extehdsthrough the portions 11 of the plates 9 and through the links 12, the nut being threaded on the end,

df the bolt in engagement with the links. The nut being larger than the width of that formed bythe side bars of the links effectually prevents said links becoming detached from the plates 9. A rod 15 extends longitudinally under the lowermost stationary step 3 and'is fixed at its ends to the side plates 8 of the stationary steps. The links 12 pass around the rod 15 and form braces for the step 5 when the latter isdisposed in its operative position. nose links and the portions 11 of the plates 9 pass between the ends of the riser a and the side plates 8 when the step is swung into its inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 23.

To raise and lower the step 5, I provide a rod 16, which is connected at its lower end to an arm 17 which extends.outwardly be yond the free longitudinal edge of the step 5 adjacent one end thereof. The rod passes through a bracket 18 secured to the side of the car and has a handle l9 formed upon its upper end. When tlrcstep is in-its raised position, the handle 19 engages a spring 20 which is also secured to the side of the car. lVhen it is desired to lower the step, the rod is swung outwardly from engagement with the spring 20. and then forced downwardlyi hen the step assumes a horizontal position, the handle 19 is in engagement. with the top of the bracket 18, and it will tin-refore be apparent that the rod 16 acts as a brace for the step. 7

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is evident that l" have provided a very mounting and dismountin simple and practical swinging car step adapted tor attachment to a set of station ary car steps, so as to and passengers 111.

riser adjacent the lower edge thereof, the op posed edges of the car step and riser being beveled, a pair of angular plates secured to the top of the swinging step adjacent the ends thereof, a pair of links, means for connecting one link to each of the angular plates, a rod fixed at its ends to the side plates of the stationary steps and passing through said links, an operating rod connected at its lower end to the swinging step and means "for supporting the upper end of the operating rod, an upward movement of the operating rod causing the swinging step to be moved into-a vertical plane.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARY A. HOFF.

V'Vitnessesz. v

-MAR1o'N CALDWELL,

D. C. KNUPP. 

